If Lakers have a top-five pick, here are the top five players

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Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor is seen by many as not only the most polished big man in college basketball, but possibly the top player should he enter the 2015 NBA Draft. (Gerry Broome/The Associated Press)

Point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, seen in the 2014 McDonald’s All American Game in April, could be an intriguing option in the NBA Draft. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

By now, you know the drill. The Lakers promised the Phoenix Suns a 2015 first-round pick in the Steve Nash trade. But the Lakers keep it if they finish within the top five of the lottery. They currently have the fourth-worst record in the NBA, meaning they have an 82.8% chance of staying in the top five, a 37.8% chance of landing in the top three and an 11.9% chance of getting the top pick overall.

The Lakers’ rebuilding project depends on importing as many young, talented players as possible and adding them to a couple of established veterans via free agency or trades.

The lottery pick, coupled with the first-round pick they get from the Houston Rockets from the Jeremy Lin trade and the two second-round picks they’ll likely have, means adding four players with upside to promising youngsters like Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson. And with the money they will have to play with in free agency, they can add one or two impact veterans.

By October, we could be looking at a completely different Lakers team.

So while you keep one eye on the Lakers’ plunge, it’s probably time to start looking at whom the Lakers might be considering pick within the top five selections. And while they desperately needing a big-body presence to anchor the defense or an explosive playmaker, expect the Lakers to target an elite post player or a play-making wing or guard.

With the help of two high-ranking NBA team executives who spoke on the condition of anonymity, here are five players the Lakers should be considering.

JAHLIL OKAFOR

Freshman center, Duke, 6-11, 18.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks

The lowdown: Without question, the most polished offensive big man available, and though there are questions about his ability to consistently protect the basket, his defense has improved during the course of his freshman season and he is an efficient rebounder. His calling card is an advanced, offensive game, an NBA body, big hands and terrific footwork. The Lakers have always built from the inside out, and in Okafor they’d have their center for the next decade.

NBA executive: I think he’s going to go with the top pick. Does he have some aspects of his game that need to improve? Yes. But offensively, the way he can score in the low post, his foot work, and he’s actually a really good passer, he’s a very good rebounder and while he’s not a tremendous athlete, he’s sneaky. Are there other guys who can go before him? Maybe. Maybe if you have a big already on your roster, maybe you’d go in another direction or maybe you pick him anyway, just to have as an asset. I just don’t know if there are enough guys who can challenge him at this point.

EMMANUEL MUDIAY

Point guard, China, 6-5, 17.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists

The lowdown: One of the true wild cards in the draft, Mudiay originally committed to Larry Brown and SMU but opted to play professionally in China this year. A minor ankle injury cut short his season after just 10 games — although some suspect a short season was the plan all along — curtailing his exposure to scouts. In the time he did play, Mudiay put up outstanding numbers. Coming out of high school, Mudiay was considered the potential top-pick overall while drawing comparisons to elite point guards like John Wall, Kyrie Irving and Derrick Rose. The Lakers desperately need a new star and dynamic playmaker, and Mudiay checks both boxes.

NBA executive: Haven’t seen him since high school, but, you know, he’s talented. With the injury, it’s going to be interesting to see how he does in the draft just because teams might be a bit leery of drafting a guy like that without seeing him, and depending on whether he works out for them or not. I think he’ll still go pretty high, but it might hurt him that he’s injured. The guys you’re seeing now that are playing, let’s be honest, they’re getting more exposure. Of course, there’s something to be said sometimes about the mysterious guys. Sometimes that actually helps.

D’ANGELO RUSSELL

The lowdown: No one is shooting up the draft board faster than Russell, an explosive, creative playmaker who is showing he can handle point-guard duties but also take over games with his scoring. Some wonder if he is tall enough to be an NBA two-guard — he is listed at 6-5 but some think he is closer to 6-3 or 6-4. Nevertheless, he’s been an awakening with his combination of scoring and passing ability. And at this point he’s a lock in the top five. In fact, with Mudiay still somewhat of a wild card on some boards, there are some who think Russell can overtake him as the second overall pick.

NBA executive: I think he’s really made a push recently. He came in originally more as a two guard. And when we saw him in high school, at the McDonald’s All-America game and things like that, we saw him as a two. But now, the way he’s playing, I think he’s one of those guys that doesn’t really have a true position. He’s a combo guy. He can run a team, or at least make plays. He can score and make plays. He’s pretty unique. And that’s really boosting his stock because there aren’t a lot of point guards out there. People are looking at him, he’s 6-3, 6-4, and he rebounds, he shoots it pretty decently and he’s really good off the dribble. He can make plays and score off the dribble. The lack of point guards is helping him, and I think people are looking at him differently, someone they can convert to point guard in the NBA. He’s not quite big enough to be an NBA two, but he can run a team and he’s certainly creative enough off the dribble, and that’s I think what’s so intriguing about him. Russell is an impressive player, he can really go and he makes things happen.

KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS

Freshman center, Kentucky, 6-11, 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.3 blocks

The lowdown: It’s tough sometimes getting a read on Kentucky players. There is so much talent in Lexington it forces individuals to sacrifice personal numbers and exposure for the good of the team. So don’t get caught up in the stats, they don’t tell the whole story. That said, Towns has flashed enough offensive game, defensive mastery and basketball I.Q. to thrust himself into top-five consideration. On the right team, he could develop into the premier player in this draft.

NBA executive: I like him a lot. He’s probably the most skilled inside-outside kind of guy, for a big. I think he can make mid-range shots and threes. He’s pretty good around the basket. He’s a good athlete, although I’m not sure he’s a great athlete. He knows how to play, he’s got a high I.Q. One thing that’s underrated is his shot blocking. He plays on a team with a great shot-blocker, but he’s a pretty dang good shot-blocker himself. I think he can be a little bit stronger, add a little more strength. He’s not super chiseled, he’s sort of got that baby fat thing still going. But if he can improve his rebounding, and his defense — not just shot blocking but individual defense — it will help. He kind of reminds me a little bit of Al Horford in how he can step out and shoot. Al shoots more of a set shot, but from that 18-, 19-foot range he’s deadly. Al’s legs are spread out and he doesn’t jump, but his release is deadly and I think Towns has a little bit of that going on. He’s got a great stroke and he can hit college threes. I think a lot of guys were looking at him as a potential No. 1, but I think Okafor and some other guys have maybe nudged ahead of him. But I wouldn’t sleep on him.

WILLIE CAULEY-STEIN

Junior center, Kentucky, 7-0, 8.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocks

The lowdown: Again, if you play at Kentucky, expect to sacrifice some of your game. And in Cauley-Stein’s case, that means offense. However, there isn’t a prospect in the draft who can impact the defensive side of the court more than this elite, 7-foot athlete who flashes incredible speed, lateral quickness and shot-blocking ability that extends from the rim to the perimeter. Cauley-Stein would make an immediate impact with the Lakers on the defensive end — arguably their biggest weakness — while finishing on the break.

NBA executive: I think he might be a sleeper. He’s going top 10 for sure, but I think guys like him, the way he can run and moreover his lateral quickness are off the chart. I’m not sure there are a lot of guys in the NBA, if any, that have that combination. He’s not super strong, he can definitely get stronger. And I know people criticize him offensively, but he’s a weapon because on pick-and-roll defense, he can guard the bigs but also switch down on the guard. He can play in front of guards. Maybe not for long periods but certainly enough in a shot clock or long enough for guys to rotate back and help them out. He can contain on the perimeter, even on some guards, and that’s a big weapon to have. Rim protectors and defenders like that are really at a premium. Look, if you had a great offensive team, he might be the No. 1 pick. But Okafor has all the footwork and huge hands and skill around the basket, but Stein is, and if you’re just talking (defense), that’s a huge component of being a good player. Most people would look at it like he isn’t great offensively. But he can run and finish and he’ll get better. I think his ability to defend and his ability to contain pick-and-roll, which is the staple of the NBA, makes him really, really intriguing.

Vincent Bonsignore is an NFL columnist for the Southern California News Group. Having covered the Los Angeles sports scene for more than two decades, Bonsignore has emerged as one of the leading voices on the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, the NFL and NFL relocation.